Transcripts For CSPAN Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Hearing - Part 1 20171104

Nonwilderness portion. Important tot is put this in context, in terms of the areas where talking about. War, itself, is 9 million acres, approximately the size of south carolina. The nonwilderness area, this 1002 area, is 1. 5 million acres, approximately the size of delaware. The area here is designated as wilderness, federal wilderness, 8 million acres there. So, when we are talking about an important tot is recognize that there are parts r that are designated wilderness, parts are designated refuge, and parts have specifically been designated for consideration for oil and Gas Exploration. I want to be clear. The 1002 area is not federal wilderness. Congress recognized the value of anwar when it recognize more than 70 million acres as the wilderness. That is protected and cannot, and will not be touched. The coastal plain, again, is separate from the wilderness in anwar. It is about the size of delaware, in a refuge about the size of south carolina. Talkingareas we are about our significant greed what alaskans are asking for is to develop just 2000 federal 10,000thsthin about1 of anwar. , the open the 1002 area economic benefits will be substantial, our National Security will be strengthened and the environmental index will be minimal. We will create thousands of new jobs and those jobs will pay the types of wages that support families and put kids through college. We will also generate substantial revenue for every level of government, tens of billions of dollars over the life of the fields. There has been some discussion out there as to whether or not we can meet our 1 billion instruction. A simple, to that is yes. I would remind the committee that the first 10 years are just the start. This is the smallest part, of a 40 year. Where responsible production raises means of dollars in revenues for our country every year. The Congressional Research service has estimated the federal treasury could, depending on oil prices and the amount of resources that are ultimately produced, and well put that in a caveat, but he could raise anywhere from 48. 3 billion, on the low end, to 296. 8 billion, over 30 years. Bear in mind, that is new wealth and prosperity. New wealth. It will not be created, redirected, or repurposed, alexa much of what we deal with. Those revenues will directly reduce our debt while simultaneously creating growth conditions needed to reduce it on a greater scale. Opening the 1002 area with help to keep energy affordable. Here in the lower 48 we have somewhat forgotten what it feels like to pay four dollars for a gallon of gasoline. Prices are moderate right now. We recognize that, but we also dont necessarily stay that way. So we need to be taking steps for the longterm, and we need to be doing that now, not in 10 years, to keep Energy Prices affordable. A number of experts are already pointing to the warning signs. You have the International Energy agency that found Global Oil Supplies could struggle to keep these with demand after 2020, risking a sharp increase less new project are approved soon. Some are to argue that we are doing just fine. We are producing more, we are even exporting some, so we can turn our attention to other matters. I think that is a mistake. We are projected to remain a significant net importer, willing to the future. And setting aside some of the shorterterm concerns that ive just mentioned, even the more from eia,orecasts Energy Information administration, projects well prices will be back above 100 a barrel by 2040. I think it is also misleading to suggest that all of the benefits of opening the 1002 area will happen all at once, or all in the near term. We know that that is not true. We will see the benefit for decades, not just over the 10your budget window. We talk a lot about where we were back in 1995, when the ar, ands had passed anw president clinton at that time vetoed the effort to open the 1002 area. 1995. Think about where we would have been if that action had not taken place. We would not have seen a dramatic runup of oil prices in the midto thousands. States like california would not be important so much of their oil from abroad. That is exactly what has happened as the supply from alaska has declined. There is no question, opening the 1002 area is important for our state and national economy. As confident just that the new technologies that are in place, and are still coming online, will ensure that responsible development does not harm the environment. Today,en the 1970s and the surface footprint of Arctic Development has decreased by about 80 . Several of our witnesses this morning will speak directly to that. What, put it in context. Pad now once a 65 acre takes 12 acres or less. And below ground, the extended drilling from a single pad will grow to an area of 125 square miles by 2020. Thanis an increase of more began oilce we exploration and production in the 1970s. Development in the arctic has always raise concerns about wildlife and the environment, and appropriately so. But i would remind everyone here this morning, because alaskans have been so careful with of impact tofears our wildlife and our land have repeatedly proven wrong most of our roads are now built from ice and melt in the summertime, leaving no impact on the tundra. Developers follow thousands of regulatory requirements, best practices, and mitigation measures. We inventory and assess wildlife and study their habitats so we avoid any sensitive places. We always talk about the caribou. Central arctic caribou herds, provedive in and around obey your ground, increased from 3000 animals in 1969, prior to development, two 5000 when Development Began in earnest in 1974, and with about 22,000 animals just this past year. It is now more than seven times larger, then when Development Began. It may surprise some to learn that we are developing energy just outside of anwar, at Point Thompson, a point my colleague knows very well. This is on state land, just two miles from the border of the 1002 area. That project a Point Thompson is carried out responsibly. It is not harming wildlife that crossed the invisible western boundary of that refuge. Over 40 years now, alaskans have repeatedly proven that we can develop safely and responsibly. 1002 areapment in the will be no different. We will not harm the caribou moved through the area. We will not harm the polar bears, who stands can be protected. The snow geese, whose nesting areas can be safeguarded, or any of the other birds are wildlife that visit the coastal lane in the summer. We are sensitive to the habitats in the region, and care for. And alaskans understand this. And this is why more than 70 of us have supported opening the 1002 area to responsible development. Ourre also acutely aware state needs this, and we will your this from our governor. We have the highest Unemployment Rate in the country. We have massive budget deficits that are projected to last for a while. And our transatlantic pipeline system, the economic backbone of our state, is just one quarter full. Well, know, we know full that opening the 1002 area is not an immediate cure. But we also know that it is something we have to do today, because the benefits of development will take time to fully realize. Saying, thehe old best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. St time is blessee now. We need to take that first step today so we can realize the benefits, Going Forward. I was born in alaska. My husband and i have raised our boys there, and i hope that they long and healthy lives in a place that is so beautiful and gorgeous that it sometimes takes your breath away. What i know is, no one cares more for alaska, then those of us who live and work and raise our families there. We love our state. We respect the land. We would never risk its future for the sake of development, but we also realize that that is not the case here. The 1002 area was created by a congressional compromise. We always knew its future would require another one. And today, alaskans are offering just that. We are not asking to develop all of the 1002 area. Instead, we are asking 2000 10,000th ofout 1 the refuge. And we have reading years for the right technologies to come along so that the footprint of development is small enough to ensure that the environment continues to be respected and will not be harmed. This is not a choice between energy and the environment. We are past that. And what we have today is a great lineup of witnesses to help our committee understand that. We have our entire alaska , ouration with us governor, our congressmen, our senators, our Lieutenant Governor, a number of alaskans who actually live up on the north slope. I think all are witnesses for being here this morning. I look forward to an excellent and informative hearing. Senator cantwell, i turn to you and welcome your remarks. Thank you and i welcome our colleagues to todays discussion. This hearing is a great departure from the strong working relationship that senator murkowski and i have sent, to Work Together on an Energy Agenda that will move our country forward. Its too bad we are not using our resources this morning to force our House College to reconsider the very important overall, 100luded, different priorities to move our country forward on everything from Cyber Security to Energy Efficiency. Theso dont support of makeup of todays panels. The fact that our two colleagues who do not support opening the arctic wildlife refuge, who have carried the bill this legislative session and last late of sessions, senator markey and senator benefit senator markey and senator bennett were not allowed to be part of this panel. And i think we need to have more representatives from the indian communities. Corporations are charged with Economic Development but individual tribal members are charged, as we have seen throughout alaska and the United States of america, dont support of this kind of development because they believe in the wildlife nature that god has given us, and that we are stewards of mother earth. So, i think them for that. I think them for their Strong Spiritual beliefs. Thank you. Today because someone has come up with a ludicrous idea that we can pass tax reform bills that pass a tax reform bill that raises the deficit and increases our taxes sliver out of our wildlife refuge to do it. This caribou for millionaires because it is the most ridiculous idea i have heard in meeting the tax reform agenda. So, now i dont like the setup of these panels. Im always glad to hear from the governor and our colleagues but our other colleagues should have had their voices heard and Indian Country should have been better represented. We have no bill before us today. We have no bill and there is a proposed markup for next wednesday. . When will we see that language . When will we have any idea about this process . So, i am disturbed. And i could go in the direction of saying, we dont have to worry because some of the press reports are that, from Bloomberg News and others that the coastal Arctic Refuge does not have any promising, oilbearing rock formations. And there is no great interest in developing the arctic wildlife refuge, and there are safer bets. So what could have the attitude that there are, particularly with the Trump Administrations desire. Im not sure where in the United States of america they dont want to drill, but with the one point 7 billion acres they want on the outer Continental Shelf and many other places in america, i find it hard to believe that there will be the economic incentive to drill in the arctic wildlife refuge. On top oft a big x something that has been so unique to the United States of america . When i recently researched why we got to this point, and heard some of the first people who made the case to the Eisenhower Administration, we all knew that it must be preserved as an original fragment of our past, the last opportunity to protect the heart of this continent as it once was. Why . Because other people said it was a spiritual place, and arctic wildlife refuge, and they also said, it was an area that was left undisturbed by man that was the last laboratory in which plants and animals, and where they live, as they have always lived, is preserved thisis is why we got to point and this is what is unique about it, and this is why, from the Eisenhower Administration to today, we have fought to protect it. Economy of great concern to us as a nation . Yes. We in the Pacific Northwest i will think one of the first things i said to the charwoman when we started the discussion is, lets talk about why the natural gas pipeline alaska hasnt been built, because it has a bigger Economic Impact than this. This idea, there is no new science that says we dont have to worry about this wildlife. And there is no new science that says the Oil Development will take up a smaller footprint. This map that we will get to everyone basically shows that the development will take up a significant portion of the refuge. The 800 milelong transatlantic type line transalaska pipeline, 200 miles of transmission lines, and so on and so forth. So, the notion that wildlife can exist in this unique environment , in the same weight with this development, is just wrong. I look forward to hearing from secretary perry on this because i wrote him a letter yesterday, asking him how they can exist together. We will look forward to seeing how he answers that. I also point out, the uniqueness anthis area has entered into international agreement. The caribou population is so unique, so specific and so special, that we have entered into an agreement with canada on it. That is because they want to protect this population of caribou, as well. So the notion that we should move forward on a wrongheaded idea because all of a sudden people want some revenue for a and move forward today on something that we dont even know what we are moving forward on, and language, is just not the way i think we should be proceeding. I hope we will have a chance to ask our witnesses questions on this but be assured, even though we dont agree with this process, or the process of votes to get 51 change in the arctic wildlife refuge, we are never stopping. We are never stopping in trying to protect the arctic wildlife refuge, and the uniqueness, and to work with the Indigenous People who also support that idea. Thank you. Thank you, senator cantwell. We have several panels this morning. And i appreciate not only our delegation being here, on the alaskans and visitors that have joined us this morning, a very distinguished panel. We will be led by our colleague, senator sullivan. He will be followed by the all alaska,for congressman young, who has represented us in the house of representatives for 45 years. 45 years, going on 46. Ill be roundedw up by our governor. Governor walker has been in office for three years and is a lifelong resident and has great, great leadership. I appreciate you being here as well, governor. Independent. That is true. He is an independent. We dont talk about the political affiliations here, of anybody, but that is noted. Senator, if you would like to read off if you would like to lead off with the introduction. Thank you. Have claimedroom to be protectors of alaskas environment, but with all due respect to my colleagues are today there are three people in more abouts who care alaskas environment than anyone else in the entire body. Senator murkowski, congressman young, and myself. The fundamental disconnect in the discussion of the 1002 area, is that the debate has not kept up with alaskas high standards, the highest in the world, and i will talk about that, and advancements in technology. To with all due respect to the Ranking Member, a lot has changed. Allies changed. A lot has changed. 1002nsibly developing the area is a winwin for our country. It will create jobs, growth the economy, and increase Energy Security for americans. And importantly, it will protect the Global Environment and strengthen our National Security , and its these last 2. 7 like to emphasize in my remarks this morning. Alaska has the highest Environmental Standards regarding responsible arctic Resource Development, they place in the world. In charge of these standards as alaskas commissioner of the department of Natural Resources and i can tell you, whether it is what we or mandating the best available technology, we have a 50 year record of responsible Resource Development. No impact inspiration. Exploration. We only a level exploration activities during the winter months. Companies are required to build pads. Ads, i spence they have to leave before the winter and. Have zero impact on this hundred. The only other thing is a cap well. That is alaskas very high mandated standards. We used to do standards very recently on the coastal plain in the same ecosystem of the 1002 area that is being debated right now with the development of the Point Thompson project. You can see how close that is to be 1002 area. There was minimal impact, no impact on the environment and wildlife. The footprint is very small and it is producing energy right now. Big issue that those in congress who want to shut down Resource Development never acknowledge. When you disallow investment in alaska, the place with the highest standards on the environment in the world you dont end up protecting the Global Environment, what you do is you end up driving capital investment, jurisdictions with much less Environmental Standards or so it is no Environmental Standards. Nigeria andke venezuela and iran and russia, many of which are also geopolitical close. This brings me to my second point, producing more energy responsibly. Oil, natural gas, renewables and making the United States the Worlds Energy superpower will dramatically strengthen our National Security. I served in the marine corps for 22 years and as the u. S. Assistant secretary of state. The portfolio included Global Security issues. I can see how energy can be used for productive diplomacy but also can be used for troublesome power grabs by our nations pose. Energyt have to import when we dont have to import energy from countries that dont like us we are better when we can export American Energy to our allies like japan or korea or even the countries like china. This helps our National Security and foreign policy. I sit on the Armed Services committee and we have heard from military and civilian leaders democrats and republicans from secretary carson secretary mattis. They have consistently stated that producing more energy strengthens our National Security. I know my friend senator king and senator romo heard these comments. It is not just american officials that recognize this. The russians know this as well. Theuld like to submit for record a recent New York Times article. This is october 29, it is titled buffer uses its oil giant as a foreignpolicy tool. Quite we will include that as part of the record. The first sentence means russia is complacent spreading it and those around the world and challenging the interest of the United States. That me and with an antidote anecdote. We were meeting with a senior level russian president. We asked him what more we could do as a country to push back against the put regime. He looked at us and said the number one thing you can do the number one thing you can do is produce more American Energy. Usingg the 10 at two area the highest Environmental Standards in the world and the most advanced technology will produce more American Energy for the betterment of our country. Thank you madam chair. Thank you senator celfin. Next congress and young, you have been through a few debates, we welcome your comments this morning. I dont thats uncomfortable on the senate side. I need a flashlight most of the time because sometimes it is pretty dark over here. I am one of the few people there is only one left that went through this battle. 5 years ago. This time to area was created by senator jackson and senator stevens when the senators were really knowledgeable about what goes on. We recognize this area about the value of oil and the town to area 1002 area. Be footprint will probably i represent alaska. Do you see anything different with my nose . I am alaska. Percent 0 of the were talking about disturbance. The Ranking Members show that the math was, by the sierra club. That bothers me, that is on information. This little dot on my nose, highway 225 pounds, this little dot is what we are talking about. That is the 1002 area. It has the potential of 10 billion barrels now. Sen. Sullivan up. This is an issue of National Security. It is the one weapon that russia is wielding. We get have the security for the nation as a whole. I was interested to hear about the caribou. You hear a lot of nonsense stories later on the day. I was interested in canada. Ambassador sent out a letter about opposing and water. Did we say anything when they go 270 wells in this caribou . They dont 400 mile road across the cabin area. Did we say anything . This is not about the it is about economics. This is the issue that most people dont know what theyre talking about. They never been there, seen or understand the caribou herd. Thing about the legislative process, what used they worked together when the states were affected. We didnt get involved with the state yards. We didnt do that. We have people going and this is a great environmental area. Maybe i will find out how many of you have gone up there. Lets think about National Security and i am not one of you guys, i support this and thought for 13 times. 13 times i have moved out of the house. President clinton be touted because he said it would not leave the embargo we had that way. Bey about that, if we are to to controlicient the International Instances that cant be fast, congress recognize that we went past it. They all agreed to this provision. They knew the value of that oil. Now we are fighting the same battle again because of the ignorance and misinformation from those of us that would not have any Resource Development at all. Not only in alaska, we are easy to practice take on. The nation is able to make us less strong. To make as a secondrate nation. That is what a lot of you wish to do. Member, im going to pass this again and i hope you have the courage to do what is right for this nation. Good for alaska, good for the nation and all the people of the future. Madam chairman i think for having this hearing. I will remind you, look at that little dot on my nose. That is the 1002 area. I will it changes my peers very much. The coastal plain is not that area you see there. It is a flat terrain that was foraside by this congress the development, not the preservation, i yield. Thank you congressman, thank you for being here. Governor walker, welcome. Walker i am the governor of alaska, i am nonpartisan, i have a goal as a governor that future generations will be able to have the same benefits brought up in alaska that i had. We have seen many changes in our state, many for the good. Alaska is different. We saw development in our dna. We will continue to do that, that is how we earn it is 70 of our income. We are vigilant of the environment. I remember well when we became a it saide celebrated and alaska, we cannot sell the resources on the ground, we have to live off the oils. That is how we fund our state. That was the deal. We accepted that deal but we did not understand that we may not be able to have access to the resources and live off of them. That was the deal, all im asking for is that we have a deal he made in 1959 under the statehood compact. The great compromise that was made was that the tenant to a set aside for future development. That is what the deal was, all youre asking for is the benefit of the deal that was made long ago. This has become something that ive lived with as an alaskan all my life and now i am doing with it as a governor of alaska in many ways. I will get to that. , real thingline wrong with the oil pipeline is that it is three quarters empty. Sitting next to miles away from the most prolific area of hydrocarbons you can imagine. 10 billion barrels. This is not about money, this is not about who gets what money in alaska, this is about a future, and economy. This is about young people that want a decent education. I wouldnt think the Committee Members who came to appeal this and went on to a location in hospital. These are part of alaska that many have not seen. I think are doing that. In seeing believer firsthand what alaska looks like. We are a vast state. We own 242 airports. The reason we do that is because 80 of our community does not have roads. When we talk about infrastructure we dont have enough infrastructure to upgrade. I sat in a listing circle a few years back and one of the other ito me this walker, it want to see my grandchildren plus a toilet. The interface we need needs be paid for, that was the day we met with congress when we became a state. We need the benefits of that bargain. We need it now. I came to office with a 1. 6 billion deficit. That grew to a 3. 7 billion deficit. I had to do things that no future government should have to do. We made very difficult decisions. I had to say no to some very good requests for help for funding. We had to close across the state. With a layoff thousands of people, we have produced a budget by 1. 7 billion. That is a couple that is a tough thing to do in a couple of years. That hurts. Alaskans dont feel safe because were going to find that direction. We are having a special session as we speak to bring the safety back. Earlier this week i signed a Climate Change administrator order, we have stood up on Climate Change, we address both in alaska, we are looking at Climate Change, Climate Change has impacted alaska, no question about it. You may have to relocate as many as 12 of our villages. Ive seen is out becoming a cannot do itbut we without the resources the financial resources. I dont see coming from washington. Can bring at how we in the revenue, the only way we can is off of our resources. Alaska is unique because the beauty above ground is unparalleled. The beauty below the ground is unparalleled as well. We need to develop responsibility responsibly. Type thatnor, i can the support in Alaska Legislature has been 90 in support of this. Please, please, let us develop our resources responsibly so we can fund our state and made alaska gusset, we can fund our services, our health are the highest in the nation by multiples. That ofet us have been the bargain we made in 1959 with this body. Thank you very much for your time today. For not only your testimony here this morning, putting into perspective from a defense perspective, a resource perspective, it has great value to the conversation and we certainly appreciate it. Way so weis a long will let you get back to their as we move on to our second panel. Thank you madam chairman, i went to see so many of my colleagues on the site serving with me. Thank you madam chair. Question i asked the governor a quick question . We dont get a chance to talk to him that often and we would appreciate the chance that we do. Part of it is this idea of traveling with a package of legislation moving through the house that gets rid of our local sales deductions. Uniqueton and alaska are in that we dont have an income tax and we can do. I supportive of that concept and in addition, there are some that thought they were package this legislation with another try and health care where they would go back to block granting medicaid, i supportive of those concepts as part of a package . Packagee looked at the and i will evaluate the package in its entirety. Ive not been through it as thoroughly as i would like to because ive been getting ready getting ready for this hearing today. That,k at us as a part of a solution on the deficit. The royalties would be shared equally between the federal government and the state of alaska. We see that as if there is interest in reducing the federal deficit, we can but is the state deficit. That is my focus aesthetic. We will get you information but our analysis is that 1100ns will pay about 1400 tax increases in individual 900. I think is a bad idea for our state and your state and certainly i hope no one writer takes the bait on block granting medicaid to open up and walk. But they were being here. Health care reform is not part of this blocking medicaid is not part of this, it can be a Disinformation Campaign put up that to obscure the truth, we will come back to Health Care Reform but that should not be spoken of here as if it is germane to the argument that is misleading to the american people. We do have some unlimited jurisdiction here in the energy committee. Our instruction is to find 1 million and we have mentioned repeatedly that we had that opportunity within the 1002 area of alaska. Thank you for being here. Call up the second panel. As you are getting seated, i will provide a brief introduction. We have heard from our governor, Governor Walker. HisLieutenant Governor and partner is our Lieutenant Governor. Is a leaderovernor of great renown in our state. He is an alaska native leader. He has had an opportunity to appear before our committee on numerous occasions. We love them back. His testimony will be followed by mr. Grant she had. Greg is the Principal Deputy director for fish and Wildlife Service at the department of interior, it is good to have you before the committee. Mr. Santa house has joined us and we love them him as a tribal member from the tribal government, thank you for being here this morning and traveling such a long distance. Rexford, he is the tribal administrator in the native videos make native village. This is the one village within the 1002 area. Good to have you here. If you would like to lead up this morning, we have asked you to try to limit your comments to about five minutes, careful statement will be incorporated as part of the record and at the conclusion of your testimony, we will have an opportunity to ask specific questions of each of you. Thank you again for traveling along this and being before the committee, welcome. Thank you. The statement of Governor Walker in the record details the reasons that the state of alaska supports the issue before the forittee that the need development is clear. The need for the revenue is clear. The availability of revenue should develop and take place and will be real. Remarks toocus of my of thefly on the history and war issue. Anwar issue. Staffer during the development of the settlement act and ultimately, the federal classification in alaska flowed from there. Of thatn section d two madehere were bargains that were made very clear to alaska. From time to time, i had the developity to help which in practice i saw go away. This was my home village of yak attack. Created inrve areas the sink Alliance National park in which we were promised as native residents, as native subsistence users, as people who centurieshat area for were promised that we could use that area into the future, they were carved out for that purpose and i saw camps that my family owned and others in the community that we used for generations to burn down the National Park service regardless of what has been promised to us by this congress. Area being an area in which the congress made a promise to alaska and to our country that we would develop those resources should be able , should theyfely meet market tests, should they be able to be brought to market, we see a complete infrastructure on the slope of our state with a pipeline to market as the governor said, that is now only 25 of capacity. We see Point Thompson on the border of the 1002 area with the infrastructure to allow minimal impact in the 1002 area or expiration and Even Development without anye further Significant Impact on the environment. We see the ability to deal with our National Security requirements which alaska is very concerned about as we look to certain neighbors of our state, our unique global National Security location. Our people. Eed for alaska is the one state that makes use of our fishing game and plant resources as the highest priority for Food Security among all the uses of our resources. It is called subsistence, it is our highest Public Policy use. Scarce, ass become the lifecycles resources, we make sure that our people who depend on those resources for their livelihood, for their lifeways, for foods havete are the ones that the ultimate access to those resources. No other state does that. Are my children i came to this obvious on the basis that i have fought for my , thee life the life desire, the aspirations of alaskas native peoples and i will continue to do so with every breath that i have. Thank you. Thank you Lieutenant Governor. Thank you chairman murkowski, Ranking Member cantwell and members of the committee for the opportunity to present the department of interiors testimony on Resource Development and attempt to area. The 1002 area is contained within the Arctic National wildlife refuge. Im great she hand. I spoke to many people about this issue, including our dedicated and have professional staff in alaska. I appreciate the passion that surrounds every aspect of this issue. Debate before us is a significant policy question that congress anticipated decades ago and one we are addressing today. The root of this hearing went back to 1981 the land conference lot Land Conservation act was signed into law. That expanded the existing life friends. We renamed it the Arctic National wildlife refuge. They made Great Strides to enhance longterm conservation and fish and wildlife resources in the refuge. The law set aside part of the refuge in the tentative area for potential development over oil and gas reserves. They does that 8 million acres of the original range as wilderness, requiring the area to be in accordance with the wilderness act. They also had a direct his purposes including conservation official wildlife population, an international agreement, providing continued subsistence by residents and ensuring Water Quality and quantity within the refuge. As well as the finding of the counter area within the refuge. Forion tentative provides the continuing assessment of the fish and wildlife resources of the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge. It also provides for the analysis of the impact and oil and gas expiration and authorizes exportoriented activity within the plane. Research observation is what activities on an ongoing basis since the passage of another. Statutorily deferred the decision regarding future management of the 1. 5 million coastal plain in recognition of the Natural Resource potential. Specifically, section 1003 no production of oil or gas shall be undertaken until congress approves. Assessment completed in 19 in seven, the secretary of interior recommended that congress consider leasing the tenant to area 1002 area. They have conducted a number of assessment in the tentative area. The most recent Economic Analysis published in 2009 determined that there is a mean estimate of 10. 3 billion barrels of Recoverable Oil but they needed 90 of that volume to be economically recoverable at 42 per barrel. They continue to inventory, monitor and assess the fish and Natural Resources budget current data is available to inform future activity. In 1988, the arctic beverages of the conservation plan recognized because the plan as a critical for my caribou herd which is an important subsistence use for alaska native peoples. Other important wildlife species include polar bear, migratory birds and several fish species that happened at the tentative area. Service, we are committed to ensuring that the health of all species as commerce provides direction on future uses of this area. Withsited the north slope chairman murkowski and a bipartisan satellite delegation. This required u. S. Geological survey to update his Resource Assessment for the counter area. This includes consideration of new geological and geophysical data as well as the potential for reprocessing existing data. The order does not modify any of our environment or regulatory for and development. This evaluation is consistent with the scope and intent and will provide the Department Understanding our resources within the tentative area. The administrations budget proposes oil and gas leasing and attach a area and we support congresss effort to open the area for production. This leasing is authorized by congress. It ministries and was able bolster our Energy Independence and National Security, provide Economic Opportunity for alaskans and muchneeded revenue to about the state of alaska and the federal government. Should that authorization be enacted, the department will follow applicable environmental to ensureuirements the development of the area is conducted responsibility. Chairman murkowski, i appreciate the opportunity. We look for to answering any questions you and the members of the committee have right now. Thank you. Thank you for being here on the part behalf of the department. Morning, i amd sam alexander, i am from alaska. My parents were born yukon. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you about the Arctic National why life refuge. Im here to talk to you about opposepeople adamantly this refuge. As if our u. S. Army special forces officer, my people asked me to speak because i walk into worlds, your world and their world. Why do we oppose the opening of the refuge . At heart of the issue is freedom. The freedom for us to continue to exist as Indigenous People. What does it mean to be a consent . It means people of a place. Pretend of thousands of years, her place has been the land known as western canada. This is to be connected to the land, it is to believe that the land and animals are owed her deepest respect. In that regard, it is our duty to protect the land and animals. We see the size of the refuge as an attack on us and on the caribou herd on which we depend. I served in the u. S. Military has agreed to buy, i deployed to iraq to free the oppressed. Though did i realize i would come home to find my own people under attack. When we had keep our traditional ways, we are sometimes trying to fight the unstoppable advance of progress. We take a lobby and we embrace our traditional ways because theyre served us for millennia. Even people down here started to embrace our ways. You can see renewed interest in processed food. Houses us that walking amongst the Natural World is good for your brain. You have to tell us that. When somebody is looking unhealthily say go to your land. We say that because we know that the land will kill you. The land is essential to our way of life. It provides a sustenance and we do it as sacred. The Caribou Coffee Company place this is the sacred place where life begins. These very ground are being threatened by Oil Development. A study by the National Research Council Outlines our drilling has already disrupted the migration of caribou. This brings us to the issue of Food Security. What is good security . According to the United States if i would have agriculture, it means to access for all people at all times. Enough food for an active and healthy life. This is defined as the household access toimited or food. What is adequate food . Feeling real adequate food is good that comes from the land. Caribou, moves, salmon. We had a hard time eating your , i tried following a healthy diet full of fruit and best of those, it was disastrous. I found out i cannot eat tomatoes, apples and a whole host of other Healthy Foods over the thousands of years, we had adapted to a large animalbased diet. It wasnt until i started getting more traditional food that i started to feel healthy. The opening of the refuge to the development declined. He will limit our access to traditional healthy food and push us Food Security into the realm of food insecurity. No amount of money can replicate our healthy traditional diets. Not of money can replicate our ways, tell me how replacing caribou with highly processed food is going to be better for us . It will not. Storesad to rely on our for food, we would be looking at a steady diet of spam, macaroni and cheese and other shop dont use at 45 times the price of what you find in the lower 48. What and i opening up the refuge . You are not addressing Climate Change which has been stressing of the four sources is lustrous and the caribou, you are addressing our great nations growing deficit, open the refuge is a drop in the bucket. Youre not even addressing Energy Security. As if former special forces officer, i fail to see how opening it will provide as any geopolitical advantage. We are hard pressed to understand your reasoning behind opening the refuge. I leave you with this. The late Traditional Village said that i was never hungry, it was a rich life. , we have rich life ever slept because of our connection to the land and to the porcupine caribou herd. Buty cant buy our wealth the reckless pursuit of money can take it away. For that we will never stop fighting to protect the porcupine caribou herd and our way of life. Thinking for your time. Thank you for your time. Thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. My name is matthew rexford. I serve as a tribal administrator for the village of hospitality. I am also the president of the corporation. As members of the voices. Along with 18 other communities. Alaska, this is inside the town to area. All the organizations i previous support oil and gas about there. Approximately 92,000 acres of service land around the community are owned by this corporation. Orville is corporation. These lands are within and are surrounded by water. We are an island in the middle of the largest wildlife refuge in america. Much of that land is also the ancestral home of our people. We are the indigenous inhabitants of the region and have used the resources that have blessed us with this for more than 10,000 years. Many refer to the controversial section of the tenant area, this is the home of the people. The bowhead whale, caribou, must ox and the fish of the region are our vital food source. Another of those Natural Resources is oil and gas and lots of it. We rely on the bounty of the land and find sustenance within our people have fought unsuccessfully to open our homeland to responsible exploration and development. The same time the lower 40 lawmakers and special Interest Groups in the country have waged war on the idea citing the disruption of wildlife and the pristine arctic environment. Become conservation ofugees, we do not approve turning her home and into one giant National Park. It will literally guarantee us know economy, no job, reduce subsistence and no hope for the future of our people. We are already being impacted by restrictions of access to the federal lands for subsistence purposes. The views are often left out, this is precisely why the leadership of the arctic slope region created voice in 2015. We were tired of outsiders living thousands of miles away speaking on our behalf and arctic policy decisions that directly affect us and our communities. We firmly believe in a social license to operate and no other project in the history of america has called for such a blessing from local Indigenous People more than this one. Of decades ofefit his spirit is working with the oil and gas industry to implement stringent regulations to protect the land through best andgement practices industry has consistently lived up to our standards. We know developing can be done safely because it is our being done safely. All over the arctic. We think that now is the time to open them to measure expiration and development for the benefit of our community, all of alaska and the nation, thank you. Quite thank you. And thank you to each of you on the panel here. We will now begin with a round of questions, five minutes of each member. I was to begin with you if i may. I do so because i believe that you are right in your statement that so often the voice of the people who actually live within the 1002 area, the area we are speaking about today are often either not heard or overwhelmed by outside voices. I think people are often surprised when they realize that there is a village within the 1002 area, there are people who live there, the community you fly into it and there is an airstrip there but you have a school for your children, you have a community hall. You have a store where most go in are shocked and horrified by. He price you live and work and raise our families within the 1002 area. The 1002 area is an area the size of delaware. There is one village in delaware. Village is the home to you and your family and to others. Can you provide for the a little bit of the expectation that the people developmentrom the of a 1002 area. We are talking about a small piece, you have seen development at Point Thompson which is just 45 miles from the village. If you can put it in context, i would appreciate it. , yes, benefits to the community will be a lot because they have a tax base and that is our original one that texas industry and that provides the infrastructure that has provided so much to our communities, it provided as clinics,uses, schools, to be able to flush out toilets and the benefits we have seen the benefits and we do not want to go backwards, we do not want economyr the economic of the world. Thank you matthew, our mind you that what youre hoping for for your children is no different than mine or anybody else, you and him to be wise get it and have a good future. Question,ask you a yet spoken very passionately here as you have in other forms. And is about subsistence that it is to our alaska native people throughout our state, whether you are of north in the tentative area or down in yet attached in your home community. That theysay theence lifestyle 1002 area is not consistent, there is an inconsistency that he cannot be done, why do you anwar development impactingn without caribou . Pine the 40 years of gas production, the resources have been most stable and have grown this is as their biological cycles determine. Particularly, the caribou movedce has grown, it has as it always has. The impact of development has been carefully managed and constrained, the management by both of the fully resource and the renewable Natural Resources particularly has and game has been senators sullivan a former commissioner of Natural Resources of our state and attorney general of our state has emphasized has been of the highest order. Usepriority for subsistence of our fish and came resources is the highest statutory priority in our state. I indicated that it is something have foughtnally for my entire life and whether otherthe annually, or any rural user group of our Natural Resources, the state of alaska has that responsibility as its highest priority and we will continue to fight for us. Quite thank you. Mr. House and do, thank you for your service to our country and thank you for articulating what i think sony people know, a lot of people know intuitively that our Great Outdoors provides a great relief, it is one of the reasons why our veterans have been so outspoken against this administrations wrongheaded policies, whether it is tacking on park fees or trying to run over antiquities acts or whatever it is, i appreciate our veterans being so supportive of making sure we have a place to fish and hunt and recreate, thank you for that. I would point out for the record that there have been 640 oil since 1990 five including 13 spills of over 10,000 gallons. Of gallons of oil drill have spilled in the north slope as a result of those operations and putting a 2000 British Petroleum was told to pay 2011, alaska was spilling an estimated 213,000 gallons of crude oil from its pipelines onto the north slope. We know it happens, we know what happens, the notion that people think that this is commensurate the science does not support that but we will find out what the secretary says. On the caribou population you talked about, i know we have seen some changes in that kerala population. What is the biggest concern here . What is the biggest concern that the migration will move out of the reach of subsistence . Can you explain what we are so concerned about . Question is interesting when youre down here on this date and you want to get some food, you go to the store and get some beef and a costume 84 a pound or Something Like that, good to get something organic, it will cost you about 10, 50 a pound. We recognize that we are ready have that tasty organic caribou running around up there and it plays a big part of our diet so what we are concerned with is the we call this place sacred place with life begins. This is where the porcupine caribou herd have this is it. This is the only spot that they and we are concerned that you have any type of disruptions in the cabin ground, it is not that they will move elsewhere, is that they wont exist. If you look at the boundaries of the nation, follows the path to the caribou sewing people talk being not in the tentative area, that is true in one sense but in the other sense we speak for the caribou, that is why we are here. We are their voice. Arealive in the town to and that is whether babies are born, that is where the children come from. It is our responsibility to ensure that they have a space cap,place to do that, to it is our responsibility to ensure that we maintain our livelihood which is tied to the caribou. Very important for us. Have we seen changes in the population closer to in area were drilling has happened . People always bring up the central herd and talk about how the numbers have grown and they say there is more caribou there. More of something does not mean healthier of something. Mind,ep that in americans, there are a lot more of us now, that doesnt mean we are healthier. Termsep that in mind, in of the impact, we do see an impact, the caribou are scared of the development. They run away from that stuff, when we go hunting, you may not know this by caribou actually have scouts, they have scouts that go up in the front and when they come into trouble, the rest of the herd moves. You let the main her go by. The impact that he will have is a real impact, we are not impacted the Climate Change. As there is more brush than it ever has been the past, they had to change with a go. Climate change is real. Fairbanks, there was no snow on the ground. When i was a kid, it would be 30 below by the time it was halloween. It was 30 degrees when i left, that is a real impact on the caribou as well. They have a hard time getting to the food. I hope to see that this body recognizes that. Thank you mr. House and a. Mr. Alexander. I want to add my support for opening up the coast plain region of anwar. Makes sense on a number of levels from an economic perspective, opening up this small, remote area will provide billions of dollars in federal revenues alone. Used to chip away at our staggering budget deficit that we are facing. Will be a boon for alaska, a state struggling with high unemployment and with its own budget shortfalls. Opening up the coastal plain also makes sense from an environmental perspective. Energy development and United States makes some of the most rigorous Environmental Standards in the entire world. Alaska where a was reproduction has occurred for decades without undue harm to the surrounding environment including polar and caribou habitat. Much of the credit for this responsibility should go to recent technological innovations. Thanks to modern drilling methods, developers can access hundreds of miles of oil Subsurface Oil while occupying just a few acres of surface land , Companies Continue to innovate environmental and financial cost of Energy Development. It will fall even further. Perhaps the biggest single reason why i support the opening of the coastal plain is because it is widely supported by the people of alaska. Particularly, the end of yet live in that part of the refuge. Im a strong believer that local input should fight an outsized role in Land Management issues. People living in, near the land in question should have the most significant say in it. The people closest to the land deserve to have their voices heard and deserve to have their wishes respected. Coming from the state of utah with the federal government owns nearly two thirds of the land, i fully understand the frustrations of all alaskans whose lives and whose livelihoods are subject almost constantly to the whims and wishes of wellconnected Interest Groups, regulators and politicians in washington dc. Thousands of miles from where the people connected to the land themselves. In your testimony, you articulated these frustrations very clearly, very passionately and eloquently, can you talk that wee importance should take account, the importance of incorporating local knowledge and input in major land decisions including decisions like the one that we are discussing today . Senator, deskyou and repeat the question . Talk to us about the point of taking into account local knowledge and input and local sentiment of people who are immediately affected by the land in making decisions ideas. Thank you. Also,d have to say that what brought about the technological advances was the participation of the local government on the north slope and their stringent rules of condition and stipulations that they put in place to ensure that this is done right. Living in the Arctic National wildlife is troublesome in the sense that we have limited access to our lands, to the mountains during the summer season. We cannot travel over the tundra without disturbing or harming the tundra. It is wetland. Throughout most of the year it is frozen. We knew snow machines to go to the areas to find what we are looking for. You experience the land differently, you have a deeper familiarity with it then somebody in washington dc would have and that has an impact on the way you do it and the way it should be managed. Yes, very much so. We care deeply about the caribou , the polar bear, the whales, more than anything else because that is what gives us our livelihoods. We are a strong and subsisting community. Of what is caught, if we have an overabundance is traditional knowledge to share that abundance with first the elders and those who cannot provide for themselves. Thank you very much. Thank you, senator heinrich thank youheinrich for being with us today. I had a chance to visit the north slope in places like dead a number of the developments that have occurred there in the area. And to visit the refuge as well and go to places like arctic village, i was struck by the connection, the language and cultural connections with the navajo people in the southwest, that really surprised me. In listening to everyone here today, what really struck me was the way you talked about this place. Also how different it was. How different it was from the way my colleagues talked about this place or the way the gentleman from the department of interior talk about this place. They talked about the 1002 area. They talked about and why. Like a middleds eastern country covered in sand where we should just develop lots of oil and gas. They dont talk about a refuge, you said that this is the sacred place where life begins. Can you talk a little bit more about how your people talk about this place . Senator, our people think of this place as the heart. We think of this place as the heart of the refuge. This is the heart of the refuge and it is interesting, earlier. Howcongressman talked about there was a little dot on his nose. I thought it was funny because if i would say to we talk about refuge. We talk about land. It is tied to language and our understanding of the world. We are connected to thei hear Tt Development all the time come develop this, develop that. What we need is understanding of the sustainability we live. We are not sitting asking for anything. Saying we need hospitals, schools, all these things. We are not saying give us money. Let as live. We recognize the wealth we have and there is nothing that we recognize that can be. Aken away from us when we talk about the land and the caribou, it is in reference to them. Lets hear what the locals have to say about the 1002 area. The caribou are the locals who dont have a voice and that is. Hy we are here as gwichin what struck me about the geography is the flat place. To the west, it is an industrial zone. You can say bird nests on every drilling rig, but it does not look like that when you are there. To the south and east are mountains. This is the place where the caribou flow like a river, and this is the spring. , you losee the spring the whole river, dont you . Absolutely. There is this idea that with harmopment we will only part of the herd. There is not that option for them. We are talking about the destruction of the herd and irreparable damage to our culture and People Living there for tens of thousands of years. Making of numbers. There is a place called bluefish cave, the oldest known human campsite in north america, and that is gwichin territory. Thank you, madam chair. Ator cassidy . D for thank you all fro being here. I am from louisiana. There are similarities between the states. We have a lot of oil and Gas Development. One of the reasons i think this is a positive thing is that they are able to work in the oil and gas industry and make a product the world wants. It is about Economic Opportunity for these folks come but i can also apply what we do in louisiana to what we see here. Discusses responsible oil and Gas Development with a limited footprint. In the gulf of mexico, that technology has progressed so you can dynamically drill from a Central Point far out, then the pad so the are similar to what you see here. A 65 acre gravel pad in 1970 to do three square miles acres tong, 12 do 58 square miles, and the future extended reach drilling will take a 12 acre el pad to do 125 square miles. That is similar to what we are doing in the gulf of mexico where once you have the rig, you go far out and then tied back in a way which minimizes impact, so i will say that. I understand there is a project in alaska that has an extended well of 135,000 feet, so it is not just the gulf of mexico. It is also in alaska. We have him. Evidence of what we are discussing. Since the drilling has begun not far from section 102, how has development affected the area and how have these technological advances we have spoken of him if you will, modify that impact . The technological capacity as you have just described is , theng on the north slope ability to reduce the footprint, the ability to reach out is taking place as we speak. There has been no impact on the 1002 area because that is the issue before us today, to allow that potential to be tapped. Abouthave been comments spills and other negative consequences of a massive, decadeslong development on the north slope. We have seen millions of barrels of oil, and what i can say to that is technology has allowed us to be aggressively responsive , and the Regulatory Regime has changed, and will continue to evolve, and the technology has grown. Our ability to respond to difficulty has grown. The ability to maintain the ecosystemiterally the has been aggressively managed and issues responded to. That is of course part of the today,s of our testimony to say that we can deal both with the need for the development, the production of the petroleum resource, to manage the future of the renewable resources. I am about to run out of seconds. To emphasize your point from picture about responsible drilling, senator sullivan gave this out and shows ice pads being used for this rig, when it becauseou see no roads theyll melt away. The only thing left is an eight by a foot well house eight foot well house that remains for avelopment, so you have done very nice job of preserving the trace, exceptout for an eight by eight foot well house. That is right. I am out of time. I yield back. Thank you comes sen. Senator cassidy. I would like to start with mr. Sheehan. You have extensive background in conservation and 25 years in utah. Nevada appreciates our neighbor to the east, and i have spent a lot of time in southern utah. I know you have been there for 25 years with the Utah Division of wildlife resources, and the director at some point in the last five years . I was director for the past five years. Thats great. My understanding of the 1980 law and the purpose of the refuge states four things. To conserve fish and wildlife populations and habitats in , tor natural diversity fulfill the International Community obligations of the United States with respect to fish and wildlife and their habitats, to provide in a manner consistent the opportunity for continued use by local residents and ensure Water Quality and quantity within the refuge. Are those purposes to true today . Yes, absolutely. Ifcan you explain to me how we are to open it up to oil and gas drilling how that is compatible with those purposes . Thank you, senator. The 1980 law you referenced, it certainly established criteria to manage the refuge area by, and that is still being fulfilled. When you talk about compatibility, in the 1997 wildlife refuge act it says each refuge shall be managed to fulfill the mission of the system as well as the specific purpose for which that refuge was established, and at the time that refuge was established, section 1002 and 1003 created an avenue for the discussion of exploratory work and potentially drilling in the future under 1003, so at this point the department of interior and the president and secretary are committed to honoring the desires of the state, honoring the desires and the need for Energy Independence, and still , whiching the law provided opportunity under that very large you mentioned to perform these types of activities. There is no compatibility standard you have to look at. Thateel it is in the law you have the authority to come in and listen to the locals this is what you once of this is what you are going to do, is that correct . We strive to make every action compatible within that area, as has been mentioned multiple times today, a 19. 5 million acre area within the aboutries of the refuge, 1. 5 million of that are in the 1002 area. Allows for the development of oil and Gas Resources in that area, we will work to ensure compatibility of that use with other existing uses. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not have a position . You are going to do whatever we say in congress you should be doing . You are not here advocating one way or the other . I am sayingator, the compatibility of that refuge will be determined as i mentioned with these specific purposes for which that refuge was established. Which is different than what i identified previously . It is those four elements, but also the potential exploration and development of other uses as we have heard from multiple members here. Thank you. Thank you for joining us today. Raisee been instructed to 1 billion in this committee as part of the 2018 budget to pay for the 1. 5 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy. I dont see how opening the refuge to oil and gas leasing will come close to raising that 1 billion, but i am here to understand the numbers and why many think it can. Can you explain that math to me or do you have an understanding of that at all . I have a general understanding. I have seen the materials. I have seen the analysis. Withems very clear that the Perspective Development and analysis ofexisting the size of the reserve or reserves that very significant revenue can accrue to both the federal and the state governments. Do you think it will be 1 billion to the federal government . I believe it will be many multiples of that number, yes. Based on the numbers you have seen . Yes. Ok. My time is up. Thank you, madam chair. Thank you, senator. Thank you, madam chairman. Lieutenant governor, pleasure to see you. Walker testified, he mentioned a bipartisan group. I was with senator murkowski this spring and had an opportunity to visit pump station one of the transatlantic pipe pipelineand system in dead horse. Hasnderstanding is it declined to 25 of the pipeline capacity. Can you explain the importance of the pipeline to alaskas economy and why it is important to maximize the throughput of the pipeline . The pipeline is at 25 of its capacity. The need to continue to utilize isand its full capacity clear when we look at the National Security interests of our nation, when we look at the revenue needs of our state, when we look at the revenue needs of our nation. , the impact on the economy of our state come the impact on the economy of our nation, are each very clear. Ouropportunity to allow nation and our state to have to meet the just full range of existing budgetary needs, but to be responsive to a changing climate, particularly in our state, is very real and must be addressed, and if not by our nation, then by our state, which we are fully prepared to do, but it requires resources, fiscal resources, in order to do so. I want to emphasize once again that our National Security weerests is critical, that in alaska sometimes feel fairly vulnerable. We are in a geopolitical area capacity of that we can bece a target. We know a changing arctic is changing the security interests of each of the nations involved. Those are open questions as we speak. And the need for our nation and very to have security is significant. Thatso support and believe with that kind of National Security interest being responded to that the full range of interests that allow us to live reasonable, responsible, aod lives, create asus society for our state are significantly tied in with the pipeline and its ability to deliver petroleum to our nation and to our world. I agree. That is essentially the same assessment i had having been to the locations. Being from wyoming, similar concerns and similar needs we have for our nation in terms of Energy Security, Energy Independence, and now as President Trump says, Energy Dominance in terms of the geopolitical threats we face from around the world as you so appropriately stated. I wanted to followup. Given the close proximity of the coastal plain area to the pipeline system, do you believe there are opportunities to conduct an coordinate mitigation projects that could improve existing Wildlife Habitat . I believe so, yes. The north slope has a very robust read Source Management reSource Management program. Our Natural Research department and department of environmental as hardtion will work as we can in order to both maintain and where opportunities ranget to grow the full of fish and wildlife and other Natural Resources on those lands. Mr. Sheehan, do you have anything you would like to add that would improve existing Wildlife Habitat . Thank you, senator. Certainly i think there is work that is going on throughout those errors now for mitigation, but there is also a lot of research. Geological survey is doing work and trying to learn not just simply about how to mitigate, but how to use best practices to avoid conflicts, to avoid challenges that could exist from the introduction of oil and gas so that if we do have this type of work done down the road that it is done responsibly and as best it can be with the wildlife resources. Thank you very much, madam chairman. Senator king. Chair. K you, madam i have a series of technical questions i think is important in evaluating this. Any witnesses that can address them. Im afraid mr. Sheehan you are than best i have got. You hopefully will eventually be able to get this. As i understand this proposed legislation which we have not seen yet, the house bill talks about a 2000 acre limitation. Senator sullivan has mentioned that. Is that a contiguous to 2000 acres within this 1. 5 million acres, or is that 10 acres here and 12 acres over there . Do you know what that 2000 acres means . Thank you, senator. I will have to defer because i have not seen any language so i cannot respond to that. That is an important question because it was presented to me as the size of Dulles Airport which is fine if it is just one place, but what i think it means is that it is scattered all over the place and if you add it all together it is 2000 acres. Do you know how many wells are contemplated . Whatthink that depends on is passed by the body of this congress. ,f in fact an action is passed because that could stipulate which area of this could be developed, potentially all of it, potentially some part of it, so until we have a better sense of that, i cant respond. If we are being told there are 10 billion barrels here. Are that is what people representing we are after, we had to do calculations about what that implies. It is always dangerous to turn me loose with a calculator, but we are talking several thousand wells to produce 10 billion barrels over 10 years. Again, i think it is important to assess the impact. Are we talking 10, 100, or 1000 wells . Third question, any idea how this oil will get out from all these wells . How does it get anywhere . Again, i suspect the most likely method of moving that viad be fire pipeline pipeline. That is how most of that oil is move now. Now we are talking about pipelines and presumably roads to get to these various places. Any ideas on the cost of extraction in this region . This is 50 a barrel or 40 a barrel or 60 a barrel . The analysis done shows it is economically recoverable at 42 a barrel. They say there would be a 12 marginbility factor, or come on that, so that is the price point that was done in analysis and 2009, and certainly oil prices are a little higher than that today, but hard to say what they could be in coming years. I understand you are a resource guy and from the department of interior, but it does bother me you are representing the administration telling us this is an ok deal without knowing the answers to my questions. I dont see how you can say this looks fine unless you know how many wells and how many miles of pipeline, where they will be located. We are being asked to make an assessment here of economic benefit versus environment risks, but i dont see have you can make that evaluation without knowing the answers to the questions i have raised. Without knowing what that direction is, it would be hard for myself or even an oil and gas expert to answer all of those questions, but what i will say is that there are difficult choices to make here. I agree with that, but i want to know what choices i am making. I dont want to make choices where i dont understand the impacts. That is all i am suggesting. What i would say today is that we support responsible form orent in whatever fashion that occurs in, and we know more about what the footprint of that area looks like and what technologies are best available if and when this effort takes place, which could be many years from now before drilling takes place, and i expect there will be evil thing technologies between now and then as we have seen many in the last 89 years. Thank you. We are talking about marking up legislation, i hope we will have the dated to answer the questions i have raise. I dont see how we can answer this without how many wells, how many miles of pipeline. We cant make that tradeoff without having that data. I respectfully request that we have an opportunity to explore the data before we are asked to markup the bill. Senator king, i hope you will be able to stick around for the second panel. I think we will have an opportunity to get into some more of the specifics, but again, recognizing that in terms produceday actually be depends on a lot of variables that we are going to make assumptions on, but again, i think you will get more specifics with some of the folks we have. I hope so. I did not see anyone that i thought would be responsive to those particular questions. My colleagues and i feel strongly we want to see something and understand it before we vote on it. It is hard to believe that will take place before wednesday. We was certainly not be voting on anything we dont have in front of us. It is the opportunity to understand the impact for the interior department. My colleague was to understand from experts what the impact is. Todays hearing is the opportunity to hear about the 1002 area, something this committee has not had an opportunity to do so in seven years now. Thank you, madam chair. Cantwell. Mber i know it is a long flight from alaska to washington, d. C. Thank you for making that journey. As somebody who respects the voice of the state and the people that live in the states, i am deeply struck by the fact that we have had both u. S. Senators from the state of alaska, their lone congressman, the governor, the lieutenant alaskar, 90 of the of alaskans and 70 when polled on this issue support moving forward as we are proposing to do with drilling in the 1002. I just think it is a bit ,rrogant for washington, d. C. Folks who are a long ways away from alaska, to be in some way dictating the future of what alaskans want to do, and some here in this body being contrary. Your voice should count in the city, and to the senator, it does. Thank you for making the journey. State, like alaskans and those from colorado, we have a blend of protecting the environment as well as responsibly developing our Natural Resources. This is a senator who spent 70 miles and august backpacking the wilderness with my wife over two weekends. Credit to my wife for caring all that way too. She is tough. I cherish those outdoor experiences, fly fish, hunt, backpack, climbed mountains. This is no way an either or proposition. This is truly a both and situation. I saw that same blend, that passion for the outdoors, for the incredible landscapes in alaska, when i had an opportunity to see the north slope in may with the chairman of this committee. I am struck. Alaska is an amazing place, truly beautiful. Know the frustration of alaskans who say we want to be able to define our future and not have washington, d. C. Do it for us. Mr. Sheehan, as i stated earlier, protecting the environment is of value to montanans and alaskans that they share. As an outdoorsman, i have never hunted caribou, but it would be on my bucket list. Youre agency that manages wildlife, mr. Sheehan, do you believe production in the 1002 area can have minimal impact on the local caribou herds . Thank you, senator. Timess i harken back to my brought up by the good senator from nevada about serving as a state director in utah to where built great will populations of deer elk built great populations of deer elk and had conversely Energy Development within many of those. You have seen that in colorado and montana, as has been pointed out. These efforts to go into these fragile landscapes can be done. They can be done successfully. Do our employees have concerns about doing this in a careful manner . Do, but we have wildlife challenges throughout america that we are challenged with every day, not only the u. S. Federal fish and Wildlife Service, but all of the states. As we look at all of it, the challenges that exist in america , whether oil and Gas Development, wind energy, solar, and all the other opportunities that are there for developing energy come all of those have impacts on wildlife resources and fish resources. I will say this. If this congress direct says that way, we use the best science, technologies, and other strategies such as timing we have heard much about today and reduced footprint, to make sure that has the least amount of impact on the native wildlife species. Lieutenant governor mallette call we have a vibrant economy, millions of acres of public land for wilderness. Alaska has over 56 million acres of wilderness, 50 of the total acres, and hundreds of millions of acres of federal lands totaling 60 . Some is suitable for hiking, some for snowmobiling, some should be left as wilderness, but some suitable for timber production, others for mining, gas and oil exploration. Do you think we are taking a balanced approach by opening 1002 up to production and allow alaskans to benefit from the revenue insecurity generated from this land . Thank you, senator. I will just emphasize once again with the Alaska Federation of natives when it was being developed. I was with the native community as a leader in the development. F the precedent act the effort at balance was among the most important considerations in the landspment of the Alaska Conservation act, which ultimately gained the approval of such giants of conservation congressman mo udall, the secretary of interior at the ofe from idaho, the range conservation interests and other interests across our nation and within alaska. It was a grand bargain that was 100 60 million acres of land in our state went the federal classifications within our state. Within those classifications, there was i am will over that time. Do you think we are taking a balanced approach . Absolutely. Thank you. You mean when i am responding , i am using your time . I did not know that. That. Ppreciate Lieutenant Governor, thank you. Thank you, madam chair. Very, very concerned about the direction of where this is going, and one of the reasons i did not support the budget resolution was because of the provision that would assume 1 billion coming from the opening up. I appreciate Ranking Members opening comments and other colleagues who have expressed concern, but when we talk about listening to people from alaska, we certainly want to do that. Inish we had more diversity terms of viewpoints from alaska. To alaska toaveled attend a field hearing on the impact of Climate Change in alaska and we saw what was happening in terms of the snow melting. It was really quite astounding to see the impact of Climate Change on our arctic. On that trip, i had the and meetty to visit ,ith the native americans there Far Southwest alaska, which has become a center of alternative energy, which i was so impressed with. Turbines, large wind and i was particularly happy to find out some of the Component Parts were manufactured in michigan, so i felt an immediate connection with what the tribe was doing and the vision of that in moving to types of energy that would actually be so much better for alaska in terms of what is happening and the climate changing. Then i had the opportunity to meet with the tribal elders to discuss what was happening for them, the importance of preserving local language and culture, and the fact that they will have to be evacuated. I dont know if that has happened yet, but at the time we board, water was seeping up and the whole village was going to be moved because of the water that was coming in and going to engulf the community. As a result of the permafrost melting, we saw directly what was happening. Mes is deeply concerning to that we are not embracing what i saw in terms of new opportunities with types of alternative fuels that would seem to me benefit the quality , butfe of people in alaska as we sit here today to discuss drilling andto oil real questions about whether allowing drilling will help the budget at all, it feels like a political exercise as opposed to looking at the future and what is needed for the people of alaska, as well as preserving this pristine area. You havender, i know spoken a little bit about this, but could you help me understand realworld consequences of allowing drilling in anwr and talk a little bit more about the important cultural and tribal perspectives, about what it would mean from your standpoint to allow renewed drilling in these pristine lands . Thank you, senator. You know when we think about the realworld consequences of drilling, it goes back to the protection of our way of life as gwichin people. There is a story about how long ago we had to rely on the closeness of our relationship is such that we say there is a little bit of caribou heart and us and a little bit of human heart in the caribou. This impact is a real impact. It is funny to me because i dont understand. About Economic Development as an excuse to be going in and drilling, Economic Development, Economic Development. What does that actually mean . I think that is not a economy is that the a real thing. It is not a recognition i find it hard to understand why would somebody, why would a gwichin person, want to work a 40 hour a week job making money so they could make money to turn around and go buy organic food. Why would you do that . Im going to go work harder so i can buy food of lower quality. How does that make sense . That does not make sense to me. That is why we are perplexed when you talk about progress. Is progress eating spam . Is that progress . I dont think so. Here in the states when you want to talk status, people talk about going to whole foods and eating organic food. That is status, right . You are saying it is important because it is important for our health to eat healthy food. What is all this drilling for . So we can have money to do what . To live like gwichin . E already live like gwichin we are not trying to change anything in that regard. I think you can learn a lot by seeing how we live. You can learn a lot. We are not chasing our tails up there. Going back to the tribal perspective, the tribal perspective is that it is our responsibility and duty to take care of the land and take care of the animals, because they have taken care of us for thousands of years, thousands of years. Hear alaskag to native corporations, peer and talk about responsive development, and i just want to make it clear while i have time to do such, the alaska native corporations are not tribes. They do not have a traditional language. Their purpose is profit. Our purpose as gwichin is to protect our traditional way of life and live that way of life in an honorable way. Our elders told us when you go up there, you do it in a good way. You do it in a good way. And that good way is to be respectful. The northeer from slope and we respect their Food Security. When ever there is any issue of drilling in the arctic ocean, it will impact the whales, the sea life, and they know that come and they are worried about that, so they dont want it. Westand beside them and say recognize your right to exist as an Indigenous People. We recognize the right to Food Security and stand beside you when you do such. Thank you. I will is my time is up. I will submit further questions for the record. Senator gardner . Thank you very much for being here. Mr. Sheehan, a couple of questions that came up. When Congress Moves forward as there is ay, if lees plan developed for the 1002 area, environmental lease plan developed for the 1002 area, there would be public input . Absolutely. Environment to reviews, is that correct . Correct. Is their analysis of how this would impact the environment . Correct. Does this change as a result of the 1002 process . There is nothing in that process that would allow for change in those rules. Will this area be going into production the day after Congress Passes legislation . Probablyld expect that lease sales would occur 45 years from now with the drilling eventually being as far out as 710 years. 710 years. Litigation . Do you get sued . Does this way of lawsuits . This does not waive lawsuits. Tothe process of invited reviews and analysis does not change one iota, correct . Yes. The governors opening your extensive written testimony lays out the history of alaska and your experience working with the oil and gas industry, so i have some questions for you. Brought into the union with the understanding that it would be allowed to develop its resources . Yes. In anilca act was passed 1980, creating what we now know as the anwr, is that correct . Yes. That bill doubled the size of the park system and tripled the amount of federal land designated as wilderness . Yes. That same bill massively expanded conservation and set aside the coastal plain or 1002 lands for the scientific and violation of its potential environmental qualities, petroleum development. Yes. The studies conducted by the department of interior led congress to recommend development of the 1002 area . Yes. Does the unite states consume more oil today than it produces . Yes. Import oil i today. Is it fair to say that the countries we import oil from does not sure value of the United States . Correct. Does it make sense that we ourd tie the hands of people when it would increase the National Security of the United States and the prosperity state . Does it make sense to tie your hands . It does not. This is not a situation where there is something new being proposed by congress. It is something commerce afford to allow. Mr. Sheehan, your experience in the state of utah in the , idlife work in particular think 25 years in utah, is that correct . Yes. The last five years you were running the state of division of wildlife us resources. Yes. Utah has a lot of Energy Production . Thats right. How did you grow the population when you have that development . How do youd balance that . Is to key to balance avoid and minimize footprints the best we can. Our biologists and team members there work with those Development Companies to look at citing locations and have tried to develop those areas in the most responsible way they can to minimize impact to wildlife numbers, and i think we have seen some good success with those efforts. Professionalour experience, can we response we develop the resources that congress in agreement with the state of alaska and minimize the impact on wildlife and the ecosystem . If developed, there can be similar efforts to minimize the impact to wildlife in that 1002 area. Thank you. My time has expired. We will next go to senator franken. Thank you, madam chair. One argument we often hear from my friends across the aisle is that we need to open more federal land to drilling in alaska, but if you look at the facts, it is simply not true that the big oil companies, access to public lands, like alaska, of more than one million under police for oil and se, only 17,000 were drilled by the end of fiscal year. 17,000 out of one million. Maybe thats why the pipeline is only operating a 25 of capacity. The Trump Administration Just Announced it would at least another 10 million acres of the National Petroleum reserve in another 10ease million acres of the National Petroleum reserve in alaska. Leasess no shortage of in alaska. It is not even close. Why it is necessary to open a pristine natural area like this refuge. Why the refuge . Senator kingsa questions that mr. Canin cannot if drilling in this refuge is such a good idea, we should have hearings and do this is regular order and not do this on the quick and cheap because. F a tax plan mr. Alexander, i would like to my good a quote from friend, the late senator Paul Wellstone in response. Senator wellstone fought for more than a decade to preserve the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve and for the rights of the people. He said of your people and i quote they are fighting for the most fundamental right to exist as an Indigenous People who are an integral part of the landscape and a unique ecology of this region. We cannot condemn the gwichin as people. We must respect the right for survival. You have spoken eloquently to this, and i do have some other questions, but does it seem , to me it all of us does anyway, that we are talking about and by the way, thank you for your service and our military that we are talking habitat andng the the way of life for these Indigenous Peoples to get 1 billion worth of resources, a lot of which is to address Climate Change. Can you just talk to the irony here . Or your feelings on it . That is absolutely correct, senator, and thank you for your words. Is absolutely astounding , we i was in the army called it a self licking ice cream cone. This is what it has become. ,e are trying to drill more oil pump out more pollutants, to address Climate Change and the impact it has. That is just insanity to me. That is insanity to the gwichin people. We dont understand that. Perhaps my colleagues can explain it, but i cant understand it. , i mean,nant governor you know that the impact of Climate Change on your state, your state is warming twice as fast as the rest of the country. Yes. And this means coastal erosion and loss of sea ice and , and i hearafrost that part of the reason for when there this area is going to be over 11 million other acres available to drill is for, to address mitigation for Climate Change. Drilling for oil in the last pristine arctic ecosystem on the Climate Change chyme is having a disproportionate impact on the region seems to me kind of ironic. As you have made clear, Lieutenant Governor, Climate Change has deeply impacted your constituents. I think we need to curb emissions and provide support to communities to help them adapt to Climate Change, but not by of theg in the habitat food source for an Indigenous People. Do you disagree . Lieutenant governor, the senators time has expired, but i will allow you to answer. I disagree. Evolve to continue to our petroleumbased economy as responsive too be our Climate Change reality. Nobody knows that better than we do. We live with it every single day. Towill take decades for us withdraw from reliance on a petroleumbased economy, and for us in the meantime to rely on sources other than our own raises National Security issues, raises economic issues, raises issues that impact us in alaska very directly. Theresources that development of the arctic plain can bring to alaska will allow us to have fiscal resources to meet rapidly changing climate circumstances. Otherwise, we have no real ability to respond. The National Government must ultimately also respond. I do not believe there is an irony when the ecosystem that we are discussing is already in place to allow the most minimal Going Forward impact on the arctic coastal plain of any Oil Development. I do not think it is ironic will have two, we votes at noon and several colleagues have been here. I know our Lieutenant Governor here has been over. I hope we can get a short summation so we can move on. Sure. I disagree that it is ironic. I think it is in the national interest, in alaskas interest. It is in the worlds interest that we allow this kind of development to take place, that it has the most minimal impact that we can see, and that it allows us to be responsive to a Climate Change future that we must address. Thank you, Lieutenant Governor. Senator. You, madam chair. This hearing is in the context of the republican tax and budget land, singling out this committee to come up with 1 billion of revenue savings over the next decade. The committee has until november 13 to come up with this amount. Is to support the republican budget and tax proposal that cuts 1. 5 trillion from medicare and medicaid and massive reduction in funds for education and Affordable Housing among other things, all to benefit huge corporations and the wealthy, mo to raises the urge to compartmentalize what we are doing in this committee as disconnected from a larger picture, the larger picture being the republican tax and budget plan. So here we are, the decades long is a highlye anwr controversial issue that has come to represent a fight between protecting pristine ecosystems versus our reliance on fossil fields. We should not be considering whether to exploit National Treasures like the Arctic Refuge to pay for tax cuts for the rich. Instead, we should be discussing how to raise royalties from Companies Already drilling and mining on public lands so that ,axpayers get a fair deal reduce overly generous revenuesharing payments from offshore oil drilling, and limit the ability of companies to flare natural gas so that resources are not wasted. I want to ask mr. Sheehan a question, does the Trump Administration support drilling in anwr . Yes, they do. So is that why there is an august 11 memo from u. S. Fish and wildlife acting director ys alaskag the agencie director to update a role that has to do with exploratory andling between 19841986 lifting these calendar constraints and so that more applications can be submitted to approve drilling . That is where we are heading, right . In spite of the fact that it is congress that gets to make the ultimate decision as to whether drilling is appropriate in anwr. Thank you. The document you referred to and the surrounding documents are not any part of a rule that has been publicly released yet, but i will say this, if in fact this body of Congress Wants to contemplate the development of oil and gas in the 1002 area of the Arctic National wildlife it should be done with the best science, the most current science available, and that involves probably the most current level of exploration using the most modern technologies. Original research that was done was done in the early 1980s. Do you think this committee can come up with all of that by november 13 . I dont believe in my opinion that this committee is asked to have all of that Research Work done. Should the body of commerce pass it, we want to make the best informed decision to our public, what, where, and when that could look like, and to industry that may be interested why i am glad senator king raise some specific questions to you which you could not answer. , mr. S to do with Lieutenant Governor, you said we should proceed in a way that has the most minimal impact, and that is the crux of the debate, what kind of impact drilling will have. There are people on one side of the debate that says this will have a terribly detrimental impact on the environment as was so eloquently put by mr. Alexander, that it would impact their way of life. Mr. Alexander, i am glad you testified because you share artain common perspectives as native, and that is a strong , connectionconomic to the land, and i think it is really important that the gwichin tribe, which covers a very large part of the area we are talking about as well as in canada, i am grateful for your testimony, so that is why the debate is continuing, because there has been a huge discussion as to how minimal would the impact of drilling be, and there are those who believe it would not indeed be minimal. Thank you, madam chair. Sen. Sanders thank senator sanders. Historians in years to come will look back at hearings like this and ask for what were they thinking about what world were they living in . Didnt they see what was going on around them . All over this planet today, we are seeing nations, including our own, ravaged by Climate Change. While Climate Change is doing horrendous damage to people all over the world, we have hearings like this that talk about more oil exploration, more dependency on evidence is, when overwhelming, this country should leave the world in transforming our Energy System away from fossil fuels to Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy area energy. It is especially surprising that in a beautiful state like alaska, which has been hit so change, by climate that you are not leading the world, this country, in telling us the damage that has been done and the need to move away from fossil fuel. To comeaccording on First Six Months of 2017 are almost a full degree hotter than any year since records were kept in 1880. This is unbelievable. The duration and strength of hurricanes i just came back from puerto rico have increased by 50 . 2017 is already one of the worst wildfire seasons on record. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change tells us that the average global sea levels have already risen by about three millimeters annually since the early 1990s. And coastal cities all over our country and the world are in danger of being flooded. And here we are, talking about more dependency on fossil fuels, more destruction of the planet. What world are we living in . What will you say to your children and grandchildren . Meanwhile, there was a revolution taking place in Sustainable Energy. We see the price of solar and wind limiting. We see massive Corporate Investment not in oil, not in gas, but in Sustainable Energy. Sector today employs more people than apple, google and facebook combined. I have a simple question. I do understand, you told us climate the president told us Climate Change was a hoax. Is Climate Change a hoax or is it real . Sheehan no, senator sanders. I believe Climate Change is real, we can see it from alaska and many other areas. As weat i do believe is, look at these alternative forms of energy that are coming online, you do not have to look far online to see new wind energy and solar operations popping up. But they still represent a small part of the energy. Sanders that is right, but why is not the Trump Administration recognizing that reality and moving is heavily in that direction, rather than encouraging more oil and Gas Exploration . Sheehan i think they are encouraging those energy sources, but also trying to be forwardlooking. What do we need 10 years from now . Sen. Sanders you think the Trump Administration is urging us in wind and solar . Mr. Sheehan i have not seen a back stepping in those sources of energy. Sen. Sanders really . You should examine what your ministry should is doing. Let me ask the Lieutenant Governor very briefly. State andn your it is a beautiful state. My god, it is the last to natural wilderness that we have area that we have. Think alaska should be leading our country in terms of a leading our nation away from the products that have closed caused the problems impacting your state . Absolutely, we feel it every day. We know it. We have investment in alternative energy. We need to continue to do so. To windre references power. If you look at wind power and alternative forms of energy, we are making those investments. We need to make more. But we also know we cannot flip the switch, not upon, and turn off our reliance. Sen. Sanders we will never turn off that switch, so long as we invest in oil and gas. Last question, if i may. Mr. Alexander. Sen. Sanders you are out of time, we do have one more and votes coming up in new and. Quick question. Sen. Sanders mr. Alexander, to summarize quickly the impact this will have on his peoples way of life. Mr. Alexander senator sanders, we believe trailing in gwichin will devastate us as a people. It will absolutely devastate us as a people. Because you are talking 80 of the Gwichyaa Zhee gwichin people. Our connection to that is so strong, you are talking about an absolute change in the way we live as people. What about the next generation . Will they have the opportunity to hunt caribou and respected . Respect it . I do not know. I hope you will protect it. Sen. Sanders thank you very much. Senator manchin. Senator manchin this is very divisive. We live in the real world, not a fantasy world, we cannot pick and choose what we would rather have. Onare a country that depends almost 20 billion barrels of oil a day. That is a fact. Countrymported all from 70 countries and last year. I come from West Virginia, the state that leads in energy policy. To build gunsated and ships for this country. We work hard and will continue to. Mr. Walker, i thank you for being here. Onlyou are not the democrat here. We respect and support anwr in a responsible way. I voted against the budget because i thought it was a gimmick to get to a budget reconciliation. Democrats cannot participate, have not participated in the resident process right now for overall tax reform, which the country needs. Realize thered, i is going to be more fossil use in the world than ever before. Only can do is find different technologies and abilities to use it until we find a technology or new industry that will provide a more cleaner energy. If it is going to be fusion or some other form in the near future. The right now, the world is using more coal, we are using more oil. I look at the dependence of you have. The dependency we we are less dependent on foreign oil, the more strong we are as a nation. Point thompson, the last three years, it has been exported in development. It has been done in a environmentally sound way, a balance between the environment and economy up there. It is in the same ecosystem as 1002. Alexander, andr. Everyone, there has got to be a balance to be had. I do not why we cannot find that balance. Why is it always one side or the other . Why we are divided as a nation, people. Italys comes down to, what side are you one . I have people ask me, what is your politics . Should care less, whether we are democrats or republicans. I want a country that is strong. A country can only be strong of were energyindependent. It is a fact of life. If you want to set the technology standards, set them here. Under the last eight years, we did not build any research to find better ways of using oil, better ways of using coal and oil. People said i want renewable energies. Fine, tell me what five hours of the day you want your refrigerator or heat or air conditioning to work. Because that is what you will get. Briefly, mr. Mallott do you believe there is a balance . I do not think you would be representing the big state of alaska, changing the lives of your citizens there. Or have you thrown caution to the wind . Need balance. First let me say, i am the clink indian. N i am an when people ask me to be brief, i am doing my damndest. [laughter] we need balance, we need to build a future in which Renewable Energy sustains our children. Priorityabsolute high that alaska recognizes its responsibility for and will let every juncture possible take. Lascauxchin is a working on renewables is alaska working on renewables . We have invested and continue to invest in alternative energy is a high priority. Mr. Alexander, is there a balance to be found that we can preserve the way of life of your wonderful people, but also have Energy Independence and use the resources we have . Do you think that is possible . Have you made overtures toward that as you find balance . Alexander one is the balance being put on the back of my people. Why is the balance being put on the back of my people . If you look at the north slope, there are plenty of other places to drill, as has been mentioned earlier. Plenty of places. That is the balance. You have an area you can drill in. You did not need to drill in the Arctic National wildlife refuge. Have you all of the different areas to support trying to find that balance, while protecting their rights . Absolutely. With a pipeline, the reality 4 empty, with all of the existing areas of andoration and development, more coming on with recent discoveries, we still are a long way from being responsive to Current National energy needs. And we need to continue to find the ability to achieve national energy. , safety, in excess to attend to the coastal plain in order to achieve that. My time is up, thank you, madam chairman. But those of us who come from extraction states have done heavy lifting. For genia has done heavy lifting for a long time. Our way of life has been infringed upon. We think we could do things better, but find a balance. All we are asking for his tolerance as we find alternatives. We can respect your people and your way of life and also the balance, have the energy we need to keep this country strong. It is a responsibility. Nobody in West Virginia wants to drink dirty water or breathe the dirty air, same as alaska. More as far as Energy Resource and production in the most scientific or danced way you possibly can. I know the footprints as far as horizontal drilling. We reduce the footprint in West Virginia. Shelle been blessed with gas, it is unbelievable. We can no we know we can be more environmentally friendly. Try to find that pathway forward, that balance that i think you can. Hope you can, anyway. Chairwoman senator manchin, thank you. I appreciate the focus on balance. I spent a lot of time last night reading everyones written testimony. And i was struck by a comment you had included, Lieutenant Governor, in saying these words we have achieved this balance, it is time to permit the exploration and development of the state to demonstrate that wildlife and Environmental Protection can be achieved through 50 years of the development and progress on the north slope. It is important to remember that what we are seeking to do in the 1002 is not something that has not been done in the north slope. Of a trackyears plus record of their, 40 years of ensuring the caribou continue to move through, that the polar bear are protected, the snow geese are protected, the mitigation we talk about has been addressed. At the same time, we have been leading not only the country, but the world, when it comes to. Ur innovation and pioneering i talk about it a lot in this committee. Much to be proud of from alaskas perspective. You, as youeach of have provided testimony here today, have contributed to this conversation in a very important and substantive way. Our votes have started, we have two of them. It would be my intention to thank this panel. Thank you for your time, it is a long time sitting in fielding questions. We appreciate that. Takell taken at youth an at ease. We will resume the hearing at 12 30 with the second panel. Thank you to each of you. The representatives can take a stretch break and we will be back at 12 30. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2017] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] he has been called one of the premier chroniclers of our age. Bestselling author is books have been adapted into three awardwinning movies, Michael Lewis will be our guest on indepth. What they have in common from a market angle, interesting carries characters to me in interesting situations. The people attach, the reader to the character, in the beginning of the book. And they follow the character anywhere. There is no one in america that would want to read my description [indiscernible] but you realize the lives of these people, you want to know. Powerful lifevery that is the origins of literature. The author ofs money ball, the big short, and his most recent, the undoing project. We will take your calls, tweets and questions. Live noon live sunday from noon until 3 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan two. This week am of the white house did not release a president ial weekly address. Here is a look at the democratic address from representative rosa delauro. Her topic, tax reform. Ms. Delauro hello, i am congresswoman rosa delauro from the Third District of connecticut. The biggest economic challenge of our time is that some people who play by the rules are in jobs that do not pay enough. Wages are not keeping up with rising costs for health care, child care and housing. Too many families struggle to make ends meet. They have to choose between a college fund or vacation. Millionaires and billionaires write the rules to make government work for them. Republicans are their comrades in arms. They are reading the game against the middle class. Enough is enough. As democrats, we will work for an economy that works for us. Not just the very rich. The good paying jobs that cannot be outsourced. As well as cost for living for families by cracking down on global economies. And enable more and more people to reach the middle class. That is the america i believe in and the one democrats are fighting for. Unfortunately, republicans want to take our country further and further from this goal. Thursday, they released their tax cut proposal. Frankly, there is a giveaway to corporations, millionaires and billionaires. It is behind working people and the middle class worse, it encourages companies to outsource american jobs